Rhys For Keeps

ARGYLE goalkeeping coach Rhys Wilmot is preaching what he has practised over a lifetime between the sticks, and that has benefited several generations of Pilgrims’ custodians.

Rhys, who played 147 times for Argyle after joining us from Arsenal in 1989, the Welshman has joined manager Derek Adams’ staff on a two-year deal.

Previously, he had worked at Home Park for many years whilst also serving in the police but is now turning his whole focus to football.

He said: “When the manager said he wanted to raise the bar with the goalkeeping department – to get a full-time goalkeeping coach – I knew I could do the job for him and it was a no-brainer for me. I’m really committed to going full-time with the club.

“Football is in my blood and especially Argyle is in my blood – I’ve been here, coaching on and off, in different roles; with the Academy all the time, and on and off with the first-team.”

A solid, reliable ’keeper in his day, Rhys has been instilling the same virtue and attitude into the goalkeepers that he has tutored since retiring from playing.

He said: “I’m a little bit biased but I think it’s the most important position in the team; if you’ve got a good, solid, goalkeeper in the spine of your team, it is definitely going to help.

“We’ve had that for a few years with Luke [McCormick] – he’s been a great servant to the club – and, previously, we had Romain [Larrieu], who was a solid goalkeeper as well.

“I don’t think any of the goalkeepers have been spectacular, but solid, and that’s the most important thing. You don’t want a 9/10 one week and a 3/10 the next – you want a nice, solid 7/10 every week.

“My main theme of goalkeeping coaching is to work technically.

“All my keepers, from a young age, are grounded in a good technical basis of goalkeeping and I’ve used that philosophy right through to my first-team goalkeepers.

“They’ve all responded well to the training sessions that I’ve put on. I’ve got an idea; I’ve stuck with it; and I think it works.”

For the full interview with new Argyle assistant-manager Paul Wotton, as well as interviews with coaches Kevin Nancekivell and Rhys Wilmot, visit iFollow Argyle.